Priyanka Gandhi asked to vacate government bungalow
NEW DELHI : The Saffron government on Wednesday asked Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi to vacate her bungalow in Lutyens’ Delhi within a month following the withdrawal of her SPG protection. Priyanka Gandhi has been told that if she stays beyond August 1, she will have to pay penalty.
The move came after the Special Protection Group (SPG) security cover provided to the Gandhi family was withdrawn late last year.Gandhi was allotted the Bungalow No.35 in Lodhi Estate in February 1997 on security ground as a SPG protectee.
The order issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in a letter dated June 30, had informed Gandhi Vadra that the Z+ security cover does not have any provision for allotment or retention of government accommodation on that ground.
In a letter issued for Priyanka’s 6B House No 35, in Lodhi Estate, New Delhi, the ministry asked her to vacate the allotted bungalow after withdrawal of special protection group (SPG) and grant of Z+ security cover by Ministry of Home Affairs in 2019.
“Persons with Z+ security cover are not entitled for government accommodation. Exceptions can be made only by CCA (Cabinet Committee on Accommodation) based on security perception assessment by the MHA on their recommendation,” said the order issued by the Ministry of Housing.
“In view of this, she is no longer entitled for government accommodation and her allotment has been cancelled by the Directorate of Estate on July 1 with the direction to vacate the house within one month,” it added.
According to sources in the Congress Party Priyanka Gandhi was “expecting this decision after the withdrawal of SPG (Special Protection Group) security,” adding that this would not deter her from her political work or from criticising the government.
The elite SPG cover given to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi was withdrawn in November last year after Centre pulled out the SPG cover of former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only person to have SPG protection.The Gandhis were given the CRPF protection post that.
Gandhi has accumulated dues of over Rs 3.46 lakh as on June 30. She has been issued a notice to clear these dues and rent for the period when she vacates the accommodation.
Elite SPG cover given to Congress president Sonia Gandhi,
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi since the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was withdrawn in November last year. The SPG, a 3000-strong crack commando force that comes with armored vehicles, now only protects Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sources close to the Congress leader said she had been reluctant to take the government bungalow in the first place but was forced to do so because of the SPG, which did not allow her to move into Sainik Farms in south Delhi after she married Robert Vadra.
The Congress in-charge for Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka, today alleged that weavers in PM Modi’s constituency, Varanasi, are being forced to pledge their jewellery and houses to survive, and said only a concrete financial package can help them.
“UP CM at an event told the PM that lakhs of jobs are being provided in small and medium industries.But the reality is that weavers who are the pride of Varanasi, PM’s parliamentary constituency, are today forced to live by pledging their jewellery and houses. All their work has come to a standstill during the lock down,” she said in a tweet in Hindi.
The Congress leader tagged a news report alleging that weavers in Varanasi are on the verge of starvation and are being forced to pledge their jewelry and houses to survive.
(With Agency Report).
